Transnational Programs and Providers: Mobilities and Complex Spatial Flows

Abstract

This chapter attends to transnational spaces of higher education to understand the range of ways in which providers and programs have become increasingly mobile. An overview of examples of program and provider mobility is provided, including distance learning, branch campuses, and consecutive, joint, and double degree programs. Drawing upon spatial and mobilities theories, three arguments are advanced. The first is that we need to consider the complex and networked nature of transnational education (TNE) socio-spatial relations. The second addresses the glonacal nature of TNE and the importance of understanding global flows of higher education within local contexts. Third, the author argues that while the spatial reach of the university has expanded across national borders, place and the local still play a fundamental role in decisions to offer university programs abroad and student experiences.